Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-01-25
TUESDAY. JANUARY a5. 1881.
The Ferris Reform school.

Inc horrNb kteIOrm SCHOOL.
The annual report of the Ferris Re-
form School by Or. Harlan, the Presi-
dent OF 1t, which while 1t shows good
management on the part OF the directors
and Superintendent with the means Oh
hand, also shows that the institution
cannot be made effective as desired
without financial aid from other than
the sources thus far belonging to Il.
The total invest neat for the support OF
the school after purchasing the plant,
changing old buildings and putting up
necessary new buildings, Is only $57,.
625.00. Even at six per cent. the In.
terest from this would only be 81, 457,
and with rents, 50 500 In all, which ~
DIR. Harlan shows falls 81, 800 short OF
sustaining the institution. The latter
amount Is TO be made up somehow,
either by untary contribution or by
donations from the State or Levy Curt
OF the county.
As O reform Atory institution 1t has
proved q success, even In the beginning.
when betore.the management has got
properly industsd into the work. The
number OF boys admitted Is IA, both
colored and white, ranging In age from
IL TO 10 years, though enc had
reached the aonorm al age Of Is, which
IL st lelst two years older than the
limit q, which IL was originally intend
ed TO admit them. Five Of these boys
did not know the Alphabet, though the
youngest was . years OF age and two
others knew the alphabet, but could
not read. Eight Of them knew nothing
OF arith metic aud only one had any
idea Of geography. The report says,
all are now reading with greater
or less facility four can write letters
to friends, and the others have made
god progress; oil have progressed In
arithmetic and Eve sre studying geog-
Fa0Ay. This 10 certainly very satisfAo-
tory progress for the first full year OF
the institution. O.her advantages have
accrued to the boys In the matter OF
being taught to be industrious, the
large farm OF 100 acres Offering excel
leRt facilities for training them in sRri-
cultural industries. Thus with educa
ton supplied aud idleness, the parent
OF vice and misery, substituted with
habits OF industry, he would indeed be
an incorrigible boy who wonld not vi 5ld
to the kind and gentle II Il fences o.: q
reformed life. o! the moral SUCCESS O,
such an IL stitutlon there cannot be the
least dou6t, but how about its financial
success? Even with but fourteen In
mates, as bssls OF calculation, with OF
course an expected Increase of the NUN.
Der, 81, 800 above present resources will
be needed 70 carry on the institution
successfully. Where is this money to
come from? That is 8 question some
what indtii1 ite in the mind Of even
President Harlan who from his warm
and genial nature takes hope 'ul view
and looks upon the sunny side OF every
obJtc. Thts amount IL to be provide
Tor by voluntary contributions and by
donations from tho Levy Court. We
sincerely hope these contributions will
be forthcoming. There should be no
hesitation whatever, nor do we know
that there will be on the part G. the
Levy Ccur 70 literally endow the liz
stitution, 81 the county is the party the
most benefited by It. Were 1t no. for
IN, Ferris R5'o'm School, these waits
OF society woul be sent to Jail where
the county would have to bear the whole
expense 0; keeping them, ard the IN oral
resnl: would be that they would leave
jail deeper stepped in crime than when
3hey entered owing 20 the associations
2! jail lie.
Here Is an inetitu TO- which relic es
the jail Of tie county, relieves so ,Iety
from the depIe lations of b ys ing 10
ruin and, above all, make, good aad
lsefcl cLHzeps ous Ok these same blys
Tsis is worth a grea. deal TO the oouniy,
Rnd the county should srkn wled ye 1t
by liberal donation annually in pro.
portion TO the mum Der Of IN mates. The
people in this enlightened reform age
will more Willingly pay taxes for the
support Of re'or N atory ms .tutions than
for the supper. Of jails and almshouscs.
It is evident tnai the ins.itudol cannot
be supported by voluntary coutribu.
tions, as p es.dent Harian's report
shows thai OILY f,.eeu peracns cou-
tribuLed two dollars per annum and
only tso who contributed oight don ars
each for membership TO- five years
Even including i've lie members a.
$40 each he whole voluntary oOntfiDn
tons only amounted TO $3.50 People
may give hundreds to Charleston earth
quake disasters, great tites and II 1od4
and for starving communities when the
matter ls fresE upon their minds, but
when IL cones t9 a long, s'eady pnll Of
80 mach annually for an ins;itu lion
tina. should eatiAlly b. a child Of the
county and SAFE, charity Tags aud
waits for the county aud State to COM
mence charity q. home. The Leaisla-
ture also should bs asked to settle a
donation Of so IN uch each year for the
support OF this institution, especially
rs the dnances OF the 3 aye are In such
. condition that her a GETS over salan ced
her debts by more than $500 900. The
House OF Rsfnge OF = ailadel phls Is sup
ported by endowments from the Safe
OF Pennsylvania, the city and county
of Philadelphia. Why cannot the Fer
ris Reform School, ths House Of Refuge
Of Delaware, be IS well supported by
donations from the State Of Delaware
the county of New CASTLE and the oily
OF Wilmington?
THE New York Tribune suggests tina
II there was a tax upon cons cience IL
Vnd{ana Ln <,f h.t =.